SOMA: A Chocolate Lover’s Dream
SOMA chocolatemaker, 55 Mill Street, Distillery District, Toronto, ON
55 Mill Street, Distillery District, Toronto, ON
One of my favourite chocolate shops in Toronto is SOMA, tucked in a corner in the historic Distillery District downtown. The coolest part about SOMA is the glass window that lets customers look into the kitchen where chocolate makers are mixing cocoa, pouring melted chocolate into their molds and making gelato.
SOMA was voted to have the ‘best chocolate’ in Toronto Life Magazine and NOW magazine and it’s no surprise, their chocolates are delicious, unique and well-made. A small batch chocolate shop, the sweets, cookies and cakes sold at SOMA are beautifully crafted. SOMA is one of the only chocolate makers in North America processing the cocoa bean in-house to make chocolate; they buy their cocoa beans from plantations all over the world from the Dominican Republic to Madagascar and Costa Rica. Their chocolates are innovative, edgy and creative.
SOMA chocolatemaker, 55 Mill Street, Distillery District, Toronto, ON
My absolute favourite SOMA chocolate was devoured before I could snap a picture but it’s the gianduja filled with poprocks, aptly named “Sparky.” As the sweet nutty chocolate melts on your tongue, the explosive pop rocks take effect and your tongue is left tingling and numb.
Pecan butter crunch, SOMA chocolatemaker, 55 Mill Street, Distillery District, Toronto, ON
The pecan butter crunch is also full of texture and sweetness, as the crunchy butter brittle melts along with the chocolate, strong flavours of caramel take over. It’s not one of the prettier chocolates but the pecan butter crunch is definitely one of the tastiest.
And for SOMA’s trademark innovative flair, the lemon and Australian ginger chocolate is filled with both citrus tartness and bittersweet chocolate flavours.
Lemon and Australian Ginger chocolate, SOMA chocolatemaker, 55 Mill Street, Distillery District, Toronto, ON
Some of my favourite cookies at SOMA are the baci di dama, traditional Italian hazelnut cookies sandwiching bittersweet chocolate cream in the middle.
baci di dama cookies, SOMA chocolatemaker, 55 Mill Street, Distillery District, Toronto, ON
Before you start thinking this is the Nutella version of cookies, these cookies are not as sweet as the chocolate spread but it’s perfect because the dark, bittersweet Peruvian chocolate is a wonderful contrast to the sweeter, deep and nutty cookie. It’s gracefully balanced.
baci di dama cookies, SOMA chocolatemaker, 55 Mill Street, Distillery District, Toronto, ON
baci di dama cookies, SOMA chocolatemaker, 55 Mill Street, Distillery District, Toronto, ON
I have yet to try SOMA’s famous and decadent drinking chocolate and gelato. I can’t wait to go back!
SOMA also takes special orders for wedding favours or gifts so it’s perfect for the holidays!
If you’re not in the GTA and you have chocolates on your Christmas shopping list, feel free to enter the Ferrero Rocher chocolate giveaway from food punk, enter here.